The Reign of the Moon: Treble's Tale
by Archer-Of-Anarchy
Summary: Worlds work like clockwork, the little tumblers of decision pushing forward the gears of events. Now, when a single piece is changed, the outcome is forever altered. Like ripples in a pond, the surface will never be exactly the same again. Here two variables have been added: one Treble Clef and one Cogs. Watch as timelines are shattered by two quite normal colts, new events galore.
1. Prologue: Crash Landings

**Author Note:** This story will be powered by reviews, so please do give me feedback so I can understand how to give you a more enjoyable experience. Characters will be introduced as the story progresses. I do not own MLP: FiM, any other non-OC characters, or any songs or other media I mention in this story. Star Fall, who will be introduced later, is owned by cross-over-lover-232. I hope you like my first fan-fiction, enjoy and please review!

**Prologue: Crashdown**

**Location**: Ponyville

**Time**: 3 weeks before the thousandth Sun Celebration

It was a nice day in Ponyville, not a cloud in the sight and the sun high in the sky. Ponies were going about their daily rounds without a clue what was about to happen. Applebloom was running through the town square when screams came from behind her. As she turned around, a large shadow zoomed overhead with a loud whine of steam engines. Instinctively, almost everypony hit the deck as they saw the large bird-like shape swooping low over Ponyville. Applebloom peered up at the shape as it passed over and noticed that there were two ponies where the bird's head was supposed to be.

_What is going on? _She thought. _What is that thing?_

The shape faltered on its flight through the town square as its wing hit a tree near Applebloom. It started to spin out of control through the square toward the Apple Family's Booth. Ponies scattered, terrified of this strange new beast. Big Macintosh, who was currently running the stand, looked between the oncoming behemoth and the stand. Knowing he couldn't get the stand out of the way in time, he got himself out of the path of the oncoming oddity. The bird-like thing slammed into the ground with a sound like a scream. A giant cloud of dust and steam were brought up as it slid through the Apple Family's cart, sending things everywhere, and stopped mere feet from Pinkie Pie who was pressed against the door of Sugarcube Corner.

As the smoke cleared in the center of Ponyville, a small brown pony with a green mane raced to the crash site. He skidded to a stop right outside the cloud of steam pouring out of the back of the crashed piece of wood and metal. He quickly circled around until he got sight of the front the strange device. Two ponies were sitting in the wreckage among broken instruments and gauges. One was a cyan pegasus with a rainbow chromatic mane and tail, while the other was a similarly sized almost entirely red pegasus.

"Thank goodness," the brown pony heaved, flopping down on the ground. "You're both alright."

As the smoke and steam rose away from the crash, a crowd was beginning to gather. Ponies whispered to one another, wondering where the craft had come from. The brown colt sat down and wiped his forehead.

_I glad no one knows where this came from._ He thought. _If they did, we would be kicked out of town for sure._

I, however, did not feel so lucky. I squirmed around in the wreckage to try to get off my harness and succeeded in falling out onto the ground. The cyan pegasus was in a similar situation.

"You are alright ain't you?" asked the brown colt

"Barely," I slowly replied

Massive headaches bounced around in my skull as I tried to figure out why a large red mountain was walking up to me. A shadow fell over the small brown pony. As the small colt turned around, Big Macintosh stepped up behind him. My eyes cleared enough to see exactly who was standing over me, or should I say glaring down at me.

"Mah sister ain't gonna be happy 'bout this." Big Macintosh noted.

"Oh crap." I answered, looking around and seeing apples spread everywhere by the crash. We had just single handedly wiped out what preparations the Apple Family had made for the Summer Sun Celebration. "Applejack is going to kill us."

"Eeyup."


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome to Ponyville Part 1

**Chapter 1: "Welcome To Ponyville"**

Now I am getting ahead of myself. I am Treble, Treble Clef. My close friends call me TeeCee. Other people call me Trouble with a capital T. Probably because Trouble follows me like a raincloud. I am a scarlet pegasus with mane and tail the colors of elemental fire. Among pegasi (pegasus? pegasuses?), I am sorta an odd one out in the way that I am a terrible flier. I actually fell clear out of Cloudsdale a couple times before my parents decided to move to Ponyville out of fear I would break my neck. I hated the idea at the time, I mean, leaving all my friends to go to a place I had no idea what was like? I dismissed it immediately... until I tripped and almost died from the fall. Guess that was one good thing that came out of it.

**Location**: Ponyville, School

**Time**: A number of years before the thousandth Summer Sun Celebration

**(-) _Cogs_ (-)**

"Let me introduce our new student, Treble Clef," announced Miss Cheerilie, the teacher's aid. "Everypony say Hello."

"Hello Treble," monotoned the class as their eyes started to glaze over.

Treble stood in the middle of a half circle made by the class as they sat on the floor waiting for lunch break. Myself, I was sitting a bit farther off messing with a pile of gears, springs, and other assorted pieces of metal that almost covered my entire brown body. Currently, I was trying to decide what to make out of them for Show and Tell. Show and Tell comes directly after lunch so I needed to hurry up. Glancing up, I noticed Treble's eyes were darting around the room looking at everypony like a colt caught stealing something. From his shaking, he was clearly on edge. As Treble started to explain why his family had moved to Ponyville, I decided:

_I think he could use one of my projects to cheer him up._

**(-) _Treble_ (-)**

I was absolutely terrified. My legs were shaking, my tail quivering, and my heart racing faster than my friend in Cloudsdale when she's going to be in the Young Flier Competition. I looked around the classroom in a mad panic as the teacher's aid introduced me. Almost everypony there looked bored, like they didn't feel like welcoming me. I also noticed I was the only pegasus out of the entire bunch. When Miss Cheerilie asked me to tell them why my family had moved to Ponyville, I was stunned into telling the class exactly why my family had moved.

As I told my story I saw three ponies that stood out from the rest. Two were Earth ponies and one was a well dressed unicorn. One of the earth ponies was a bright pink and was sitting near the front like she was interested. However, she was sitting away from the others and didn't quite seem to have many close friends. She was the only pony actually fully paying attention to what I was saying. She had this weird stare that she did where she didn't blink for almost 30 seconds.

The unicorn was sitting among some other mares, but wasn't quietly chatting with the rest of them about what they would be doing later. Her white coat and purple mane went almost perfectly with the outfit she had chosen, a light blue dress with little purple gems scattered around on it. As I glanced her way she looked in my eyes I saw she actually cared about what I was saying. I shook my head and reminded myself: I have a marefriend. I have to admit, she was beautiful for a unicorn.

The last pony that stood out was a brown colt with dark lime green mane and tail way in the back of the classroom. He seemed to not being paying attention at all besides looking up from his pile of scrap metal when I was introduced. As I continued with my sad tale of constant falls, trips, and other mishaps, I noticed he was working on something, but what it was I couldn't be sure. Not once did he look up when I was telling of my failures. I figured he was the sort of pony that didn't really care about what people thought about him.

**(-) _Pinkie_ (-)**

_He definitely doesn't seem comfortable coming to Ponyville, _Pinkie judged.

Treble was nervously shivering, but he got a little calmer as he started to tell what happened to him. As he got farther along with his story, more and more it seemed like he was talking to me rather than the class. I think we had a staring contest at one point in his tale, but I got dust in my eyes and had to blink.

He seemed to be perfectly outgoing, but just terribly nervous in coming to a new town where he didn't know anyone. I wished I could see him smile. He just seems like the kind of person that a smile would make him quite handsome.

_I wonder how I could make him smile..._ thought Pinkie starting at the new colt's face. Suddenly she grinned.

_Note to self,_ _Give him one of my special treats at lunchtime._

**(-) _Rarity _(-)**

_Oh, my_, thought Rarity. _He certainly doesn't much of a fashion sense, but I do think he looks fetching._

Rarity was sitting with some mares she knew that were talking about what they were going to do later. She was paying more attention to the colt at the front of the room. there was something about him that seemed different about him. She continued to try to guess what was made him special when he started telling the class how his family had to move to Ponyville from Cloudsdale.

_Oh, that is what seems different about him_ realized Rarity noticing two small crimson wings pulled tight against his body.  
><em>He's a pegasus, wait did he say he was from Cloudsdale? That's not the most fashionable place in the world, but its better than watching these stuck-up mare mess with what I get from Canterlot. Maybe I will get a chance to talk to him later, and a chance to make him something a bit better to wear.<em>

**(-) _Treble_ (-)**

When I finished up my tale of fails, I got a few smiles for my last mishap. Everypony in the class grinned and a couple laughed. A few even started rolling around on the floor and laughing. I have to admit, my last great misadventure in Cloudsdale was quite funny._ (who wouldn't at least grin from a tale of three pies, two ponies, and an unfortunate mayor of Cloudsdale? All I can say now about it would be too long to explain in this thought._)

However, most of the ponies seemed to be laughing at me rather than with me. There were only a few I could tell weren't trying to hurt me with their laughing. The pink mare in the front seemed that what I said was hilarious and was genuinely laughing at it. The unicorn had a polite grin on her face, but as I looked closer and she opened her eyes back up I saw her eyes had that jolly laughing gleam to them.

_Stoppit TeeCee_ I mentally kicked myself. _You have a marefriend and she sorta wouldn't like what you're thinking of right now._

Luckily, right then Miss Cheerilie decided I had humiliated myself enough.

"Alright class, I hope you will give Treble Clef a warm welcome during lunch. And speaking of lunch, it's time for lunch!"

I sighed and watched the class rush out the school's door to have lunch outside.

"Don't worry," Miss Cheerilie said to me, puutting one hoof on my shoulder. "I'm sure you will find plenty of friends here in Ponyville."

"I don't know Miss Cheerilie, but I guess so." I replied picking up my bag lunch.

I walked out the door and saw everypony already sitting eating lunch and talking to each other about one thing or another. Over on a hill a ways away from the school I saw a tree that no pony was sitting under. I walked over to the tree, plopped myself down, and opened up my lunch: a daisy sandwich with some apples from a local orchard. I started to eat looking up at the clouds I remembered my family's trip to Cloudsdale's weather factory, where we had seem where they make clouds, rainbows, and snowflakes. I had fallen into the rainbow mixer and stopped production as they got me out. I remember my marefriend laughing hysterically and pulling me over to a mirror. Or course, I looked like she would if she was soaking wet and her coat was all the colors of the rainbow instead of cyan.

I remembered her face when I had told her I was moving to Ponyville, a mixture of panic and grief. She had made me promise to write everyday and to not leave a thing out of my letters. Of course she is only a quick flight away so I think she will visit eventually.

Suddenly, a brown hoof tapped me on the shoulder. Turning around I saw the same unicorn from earlier.


	3. Chapter 1: Welcome to Ponyville Part 2

I jerked away from the touch as I woke up from my memories. Standing over me was the young unicorn from the classroom. I noticed that, like most of the class, she didn't have her cutie mark yet. Personally, I liked having no cutie mark when others did. It immediately tells you about the pony, and in my case, I think I am better without one. I was once again pulled back to ground by the unicorn's voice.

"Hello, my name is Rarity. What's your name?"

She held out a hoof to shake. I sat stunned for a few more seconds mentally kicking myself before I returned a hoof.

"My name is Treble Clef, as you would know from class."

She blushed and replied:

"Well, yes, but I didn't know how to start a conversation."

I smirked,

"It's started now, so what can I do for you Rarity?"

"I was just wanting to ask you about where you are from."

"Cloudsdale?"

"Yeah."

I thought about it for a second, then shrugged.

"Ok, what do you want to know?"

Rarity was about to continue when a loud rowdy voice interrupted her.

"Hey look guys! It's Trouble."

I looked around for the owner of the voice and saw a large Earth pony walking up with two others flanking him. The one who had spoken was brown with a black mane and tail, the other two were various shades of earthen colors.

"Go away Axel." Said Rarity, not turning to look at the pony coming up behind her. "Can't you see we are trying to talk."

Axel scoffed.

"Really? I don't see what you do in this one Rarity." He gave an evil snicker. "He's just a failure that never will amount to anything."

The two behind him laughed and repeated some of what he said.

"Just a failure!" One laughed

"Never will amount to anything!" The other interjected.

"Go away Axel." Rarity repeated, somewhat pleadingly

I was getting quite worked up now. Not only were Axel and his buddies picking on me, they were also disrespecting Rarity when she asked them to leave.

_This foal needs to be taught a lesson_, I thought

Axel started to get bored and waved to his buddies.

"Come on, we have better things to do than deal with this loser."

They started to walk away, but Axel couldn't resist one more comment.

"Those wings are as useless as you are!"

Inside me something snapped. I jerked to my hooves and walked after them as they walked toward a patch of woods away from everypony. When they got to the edge, Axel noticed I was following them.

"Aw, look boys, Trouble here has something to say."

I glared at them. Axel laughed and put on a face most ponies use when talking to foals.

"What's little Trouble trying to say? Is he coming to say he's going to fall out of the sky again?" Axel teased in a baby voice. His two cronies laughed again. I slowly looked up and gave them an evil grin.

"Yes, I do believe I am."

I started to gallop at them. They turned and prepared to buck me when they could. As soon as I was a few feet away, I jumped and used my wings to flip myself over their backs. I did a full flip in the air and landed against a tree behind them. As they spun around and tried to find out where I had went I bucked them into a pile of floundering hooves. I walked a little way away then spoke without turning around.

"Yes, my wings are as useless as me. Then that makes then pretty useful."

I walked back up to Rarity, who had seen the whole thing. I sat down and continued eating my sandwich. After a few bites, I noticed she was staring at me with her mouth hanging open.

"Waht?" I asked with a mouthful of food.

"H-how did you do that?" She stuttered glancing between he and Axel's group who was still trying to get to their hooves.

"Simple, my wings aren't made for flying."

I opened them to prove my point. Instead of normal strong full pegasi _(pegasus, pegasuses, could someone tell me which is right?)_ wings, my wings were smaller and were held together by what I always thought was a strange metal. They didn't make for great flying, but certainly helped in other situations. Rarity gasped.

"They don't work well to fly with," I explained, "So I usually save them for more extravagant means of getting around."

A bit shaken from seeing my not-in-any-way normal wings, she spoke a bit slowly.

"You mean like what you just did?"

I shrugged.

"That? I call that wind running. I use my wings to complement my hooves and end up going that much faster."

Rarity gave me another look then attempted to ask me about me about Cloudsdale.

"Well, anyway, about Cloudsdale..." was all she got out before a brown hoof tapped me from around the tree.

I shushed Rarity and leaned backwards around the tree. There was the small brown colt with dark lime green mane I had seen earlier. He was holding a small package in his mouth. When I gave him a quizzical look he placed it in front of me. I took it and straightened up. Rarity looked at the brown pony as he came out from behind the tree and sat on my other side.

"Oh, hello Cogs." She commented.

He nodded at her and gesture to me to open the gift. I bit the small string holding it together and the box folded down to reveal a small red metallic pony in a position like it was sleeping. Pegasus I corrected seeing two small wings. On it's back was a small brass key. He made turning motions with his hooves then pointed to the toy pony. I took the key in my mouth and gave it a few good turns, then set the pony on the ground. It started ticking then sat up, stretched like it was sleepy, and proceeded to start wandering around. Every once in while, it would make a half-hearted flap of it's tiny wings.

"Wow," I said, completely blown away. "Is that me?"

"Yes..." I heard Cogs reply in a very low voice.

The pony continued to walk around the hill. More than once it seemed to stop and look at something more closely.

"How did you make it Cogs?" Rarity asked, "It's incredible! It's almost like it's alive!"

"Very carefully..." Cogs answered without actually answering.

The pony walked over to a bush about halfway down the hill and stopped and stared at it. Rarity was continuing to try to get Cogs to tell her how he made it, but I was watching the little red pegasus. I sat up a little straighter and peered down at it. It poked it's tiny head into the bush and looked around. After it looked for a few seconds it pulled its head out and jumped into the bush. A shriek came from out of the bush as a pink blur shot out of it. It sped past Rarity, Cogs, and I, who were all stunned, and up the tree. When we turned around, the pink filly who had been so interested in my story was hiding up on a branch of the tree. I looked back for the tiny automaton pegasus and saw it bouncing up the hill towards us. When it reached me it gave a little yawn and laid back down. When it stopped moving the ticking slowed and then stopped.

"W..w..what was that thing?" The pink pony in the tree asked as she slid back down to peer at the toy.

This is when I got my first good look at her. She was entirely pink from her head to her tail, with her mane and tail a slightly darker pink. Her mane was entirely straight and she appeared to be quite timid if how she reacted was any way to judge her.

"That would be Cogs' creation." I answered.

The pink pony picked it up and looked at it carefully. She glanced at me and commented.

"It looks like you."

"Yea, I made it to look like him."

I almost didn't realize it was Cogs because of how certain he seemed. He had stood up a little taller and now came up to just over my shoulder. He walked over to the filly and started to explain how it worked. Rarity leaned over and whispered:

"Of course, I pester him to tell me how it works and he doesn't tell me. Now he tells the pony who didn't ask for it."

I laughed a bit at this then regained my posture. I turned back to the pink pony and asked her.

"Hey, what's your name?"

"Pinkamena Pie.." She looked a little sheepish like she didn't like the name.

"Could I call you Pinkie? Not sure if I could remember Pinkamena."

At this she nodded vigoriously.

"Yes, you could call me that. That sounds much better than Pinkamena." She jumped like she remembered something. "Oh yeah!"

She darted back into the bush and came back out with a paper bag. She gave it to me so I opened it. Inside was a large cupcake with pink frosting and sprinkles.

"Thank you Pinkie, I needed something as a dessert."

Her face lit up and she went back to Cogs and the tiny pegasus. I leaned back against the tree as Pinkie wound the toy back up and it climbed onto my shoulder.

_Maybe coming here wasn't such a bad idea_ I thought, _After all, I made three new friends didn't I just now?_

**Author's Notes:** *speaking to a wall* Review please.


	4. Chapter 2: Talent Show Stress Part 1

**A Week Later...**

_Note to self:_ I thought, _School is boring wherever you are._

I was sitting in Madame Sharps class, being bored out of my mind. In my opinion, I would rather have had Miss Cheerilie teach music. She at least tries to make things fun and interesting. Madame Sharp is the smarter of the two, but she makes tries to make everything a lesson. Even when someone has to leave to use the restroom, she doesn't let you leave till you answer a question. Usually I like music, being a musician and all, but when it's this...

I yawned and laid my head on my hooves. Luckily, at least the school day was almost over. I lazily glanced up at the clock and saw we had just under 5 minutes left.

_I guess I will just have to wait it out._

I watched as Madame Sharp wrote more on notes and other music terms for us to remember. My eyes started to glaze over as I read the board, which didn't include a single thing I didn't already know. Suddenly, she erased the whole thing and wrote: SCHOOL TALENT SHOW in big letters across the board.

"I hope everypony has something for the talent show on Friday one week from now." She said in her nasal-heavy voice.

_Talent Show? How long has this been going on?_

"You all 've 'ad over a month since I announced this so I expect everypony to have a talent to show."

With that the bell rung and most of the class stampeded out the door. I was left with Cogs and Madame Sharp. I groaned as I got up and walked over to Cogs. He was washing off his desk, which had a huge scorchmark on it. Judging from the black smudges all over his face, his most recent experiment hadn't gone well.

"Hi Treble," He commented, scrubbing at the desk.

"Hi Cogs, what happened here?"

"Oh this? I was experimenting with one of my steam engine's."

"Steam Engine?"

"It heats up water into steam and uses that to power things. It is a lot easier to keep going than clockwork so I am trying to get it working. Turns out my fuel was a little to combustible."

"Yeah, its all over your face too."

Cogs shrugged.

"I've had worse. What can I do for you for you Treble?"

"I don't really I have anything to do for the talent show, and I was wondering what you were doing."

Cogs laughed.

" I don't have anything yet either! I was going to make something, but as you can see, I haven't had much luck. What do you have for talents? Maybe you can find something to do."

"Let me see: Flying? NO. Magician? Definitely not. Acrobat? Nope, I am athletic, but no acrobat. Do I have enough social out-going-ness to pull off Comedy? Well, No. That would really just leave music."

"You're a musician?"

"Yeah," I shrugged, "But my only good guitar was destroyed in my last accident in Cloudsdale. All I have now is a ratty old thing that barely is tuned right and an amp that doesn't go to it."

Cogs tapped his chin with one hoof.

"You know what? I might be able to fix up that guitar to be better than new. Could you bring them over to my house sometime today?"

I blinked.

"You think you could? I didn't know you were interested in musical instruments."

"Interested? I was a drummer for a while, before I got more into my experiments. I still have the drums around somewhere."

Suddenly, I had a brainwave. What if Pinkie Pie and Rarity didn't also have things for the talent show? Maybe we could do a talent all together.

"Do you think you still can play?"

Cogs smiled.

"What do you have in mind?"

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Later, I went to Cogs' house to bring him my guitar. On the way I ran into Pinkie Pie who was carrying a ton of groceries. As I was walking up she almost fell over and spilled her overflowing saddlebags. I ran over and caught her before she could completely fall over. I then pushed her back upright.

"You need any help there Pinkie?"

She blushed.

"Yes, I probably could. My mother had me go out and get these, but there's so much. That's the third time I almost fell over."

I grabbed a few bag from Pinkie and put them on my own back with my guitar. We continued walking out into the countryside as we continued talking.

"So Pinkie, have you decided what you are doing for the Talent Show?"

She shrugged and looked at the ground.

"Rarity said her friends could use another person in their play, but I don't know if I would be any help."

_Well_ I thought,_ That answers my question if Rarity has something for the Talent Show._

"Do you play any musical instraments?"

Pinkie's face lit up.

"Yes!" She exclaimed. "I can play the flute, maracas, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, and the vuvuzela. I play a little bit of guitar and bass, but I'm a little rusty on those."

I can't lie, that surprised me. I stumbled a little bit on a rock before responding.

"I don't know what half of those things are, but I could use someone on the bass."

"Okie Doki Loki!"

I hadn't seen her face this happy in the entire week I had known her.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

After I helped Pinkie get her things back to her house, a rock farm a walk away from Ponyville, I went to the address that Cogs had given me. I ended up walking not even a mile to the edge of the Everfree forest to a large green mansion. It was a two story affair with large vaulted windows and ivy growing up the walls. Walking toward it, I was soon met by a iron gate that mostly covered with bushes and grasses. I went through the gate and when I turned around I saw a small sign next to the path going up to the house. It read:

Stay Off The Grass.

I walked along the path a little more and came across another sign.

Trust Me, Stay On The Path

By now I was confused. Why have multiple signs to say the same thing? Looking down the path, I saw two more times where signs said similar things. I tapped my chin with a hoof, then took out an old guitar pick from my saddlebag. I still had my good one, so I could afford to lose one. I threw it as hard as I could into the grass. It bounced twice and then was caught in a snap as two pieces of the lawn folded in and smashed it.

"Treble? That you?"

I jumped as Cogs poked his head out a second story window. He looked at the lawn then saw me on the path.

"Oh, there you are. Come in and I'll introduce you."

Cogs pulled his head in and I walked up to the door, still wondering about the lawn. It opened revealing an earth pony with a navy blue coat and green mane.

"Hello, you must be Treble. Please do come in before you set off any more of my son's traps."

**AN:** As always, please R&R and tell me what holes you have found in my suisse cheese story. Brohoof and Out.


	5. Chapter 2: Talent Show Stress Part 2

I walked into the mansion, staring around at how big it was. Cogs' mother was quite nice and she showed me to the back door. I wondered why she had just brought me through the house to exit it.

"Why are we at the back door? I saw Cogs upstairs."

She smiled.

"You understand eventually, Cogs has this remarkable talent of being exactly where you don't expect him."

She nudged open the door, revealing a path leading away from the back of the house. Cogs was sitting down at the back fence patiently waiting. I looked back into the house then at Cogs. His mom shrugged.

"Just go with it, he doesn't explain it to us either."

I walked out to Cogs, making sure I did not step on the grass. He got up and nodded to me.

"I see you brought the subject."

He pointed a grimy hoof at my guitar.

"Yeah, I'm not sure if this is even remotely usable."

It was a pretty basic guitar, normally used for young colts learning how to play. It still had some learning stickers on it from when I was the one learning. I still didn't know what Cogs could do to it, but his mother had a point to just roll with it.

Cogs took the guitar and motioned to me to follow him. He walked into the woods along a well established trail that seemed slightly overgrown. It looked like a well used animal path to me.

After about five minutes of walking into the Everfree forest we came out onto a large hill that was almost entirely clear of trees. I turned around at the top and looked around. For as far as I could see, there was the Everfree forest. WAYYY back in the direction we had come I could see the the flag of Celestia on top of the Ponyville town hall, but besides that we were entirely surrounded by the Everfree forest.

"Are you sure it is safe to be here?" I asked Cogs, walking backwards to watch behind us. "I think this would be the ideal place to be cornered."

Cogs laughed.

"The creatures in the forest know to avoid this place. Just stay on the path, I don't think they set off all my traps yet."

We continued across the top of the hill until we came to a small building on the opposite side of the hill. It wasn't a very spectacular affair, but it seemed to be quite sturdy. Being almost entirely made out of stone probably helped it survive, it looked like it had been there many years. Next to it was a strange machine made almost entirely out of what I could see was fabric and wood. To me it resembled a carriage with a tail-like thing at the back and two wing-like things out the sides. It even had it's own little shelter built out of a festival tent that leaded against the larger stone building. Cogs saw me staring and commented.

"Oh, never mind that. I haven't quite got it working to my satisfaction. Can't get enough power for it."

Cogs led me inside, going straight to one part of the building. The inside of the building was a pony mechanic's paradise. It was one big room, filled to the brim with metal odds and ends. In one corner there was something that looked like a full sized metal set of armor, complete with hoof-guards and helmet. The whole thing was bigger than Cogs. On one wall, there was blueprint for tons of things, and on another were dozens of tools. From what I saw, Cogs could build and apparently had enough equipment to make the Wonderbolts an invincible fighting force.

Cogs clip clopped over to a workbench and placed my guitar firmly down. He took out many little tools and began to make He soon was drawing up blueprints that looked something like a guitar.

"So Cogs, how long do you think you will need to fix it up?"

Cogs blinked and looked back at me.

"What? Oh yeah, it will take me about a week, give or take a day."

I grimaced. This was going to be close. If Cogs could even get the guitar done by next friday, I wouldn't be able to try out my song before the talent show. Aw, this is going to be one hell of a week. I sat down and tried to think of song ideas as Cogs continued to evaluate my guitar.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Awhile later, we went back to Cogs house together. Cogs came back somewhat reluctantly, but he said that it was better he make sure I didn't get myself killed. When we arrived back at the house and went back inside, there was a stallion I didn't recognise there sitting on a long red sofa.

He was reading a newspaper and looked up when we walked in. His body was a chocolate brown with his mane a deep black. As he got up, I saw his cutie mark was three bits in a line. He offered a hoof to me.

"Hello, you must be Treble. My name is Iron Work. I run the largest mining company in Equestria, and known for my stubbornness. I see Cogs showed you his great grandfather's place."

I gave him a weird look and he laughed.

"Oh, he didn't tell you. Well, his great grandfather, my grandfather, was the last blacksmith in Ponyville. He had his workshop deep in the woods because he liked to work at all hours of the night. When Ponyville came to be, he moved his things into the woods. If he had his workshop in Ponyville, he would have kept the entire town awake all night. Luckily, the noise also kept animals away, so his workshop didn't get attacked very often. Of course he passed away before Cogs was born, but Cogs found some of the tools he kept here and wouldn't stop using them. After finding him in the oven at age three, we showed him his great grandfather's place. Now he uses it as a Command Center for all his projects."

Amazed, I blinked a few times and asked:

"So Ponyville came after your great grandfather Cogs?"

Cogs jumped, after a few seconds I saw why: He had been half asleep on the couch, drooling.

"Huh? What? Oh, well, he was quite lonely here and wanted some neighbors. One time selling in Canterlot, Celestia bought a few things from him and he mentioned it to her. A few days later, the apple family arrived and many more ponies followed. That would be when it started being called Ponyville."

I nodded.

_Well, it's not everyday you find your new friend comes from the oldest family in town,_ I thought.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

After saying goodbye to Cogs, I walked around Ponyville trying to think of a new song I could do. I looked around, trying to find inspiration. After an hour of walking around, I was in front of Sugarcube corner with nothing to show for my work.

I sighed and started to walk home, head hanging almost to my hooves. I really should look where I am going. I really should. I mean how could anypony have guessed that at that moment a overflowing runaway cart of fabric came hurtling down the street straight at me.

I'll say this much.

I did stop the cart.


	6. Chapter 2: Talent Show Stress Part 3

When I eventually was excavated from the pile of runaway fabric, I found myself staring up at a hysterical Rarity.

"Oh, I am so sorry Treble, I could see where I was going and I am so late.. oh … I'm late!"

She quickly piled up the fabric back onto the cart and charged off through the crowd. She didn't get out of sight before a large roll of fabric fell off the back for the cart and rolled back to me. I looked at the fabric, then after Rarity.

I sighed and got up. I picked up the rogue fabric and walked after her. I wondered if this had anything to do with the talent show.

After a about a half an hour of looking I found a big house with a cart in front of it behind an ornate fence. All over two tables on the lawn was the fabric, like somepony had thrown it while looking for something else. Rarity was digging through what was left in the cart.

"No! No! NO! I know I had it here! I need that fabric to finish this costume! I don't have time to find more of it!"

I walked up, the fabric in my saddlebag out of sight.

"Hey Rarity! What's up?"

She spun around and saw me.

"Treble! Thank goodness! I've lost the most important piece of fabric I had! This is the worst thing that could have happened!"

I held in my giggles.

"What did it look like?" I asked with a pretty good poker face.

"It was a deep red with sparkles all over it. I had it right on top, I don't know how I could've lost it!"

I glanced down into my saddlebags. Yep, right one. I leaned over onto the fence between us, a smug grin on my face.

"What would happen if a certain somepony found your fabric?"

Rarity, not paying attention, answered frantically.

"I would do anything for that pony! I need that fabric! I'm extremely late as it is!"

Then she noticed the look on my face, and glared at me. I couldn't help it, I started laughing. When I was done, I gave her the missing fabric.

"That wasn't nice,"

"It was hilarious. What are you working on?"

Rarity turned back to her fabric and cleaned off one of the tables.

"I am helping some of my friends with their talent show submission. Madame Sharp said my costumes could count as my entry for the show if I made them fabulous."

From what I could see, she had a lot of work ahead of her.

"Do you need any help? Seems like you are way over your head."

"No, no, I couldn't ask that of you. Now could you leave me be? I need to get to work."

I shrugged, but took a mental note to check up on her later in the week so that she wouldn't get overworked. Sighing, I remembered she wasn't the only pony with work to do.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

**Later on in the week...**

I was frantic like Rarity was on last Friday when I talked to her. Without a song, I was almost tearing out my mane with worry that I wouldn't have enough time to get a song. Even worse, I didn't have a singer for it. Pinkie and Cogs were fine for the bass and drums, but I was as good at flying as I am at singing in my opinion.

I mentioned it to Rarity when I came over to help her on saturday when it was raining, and she said she was too busy to learn any songs, but was perfectly willing if she had the time. I think she had too much fabric in her room, if she was sweating that much. Probably isn't good for anypony.

I didn't see Cogs for most of the week, and the one time I did, he was dashing around the market grabbing things almost faster than he could pay for them. Not sure if I want to know what he's up to.

Pinkie I saw a few times, admiring some decorations going up for the Talent Show, but most of the time she was working with her family on their rock farm. Apparently their rock harvest was effected by the rain, which leaves me with no idea who could sing (and how Pinkie's family farmed rocks).

It happened to be Thursday when something actually happened that I felt might improve the situation. I was at Rarity's in my usual position against the wall when her cat, apparently named Opalescence , fell asleep on a pile of fabric she was looking for. She grabbed the fabric, not noticing Opalescence, and yanked it out of the pile. Opal, who had been fast asleep, yowled as she flipped through the air, landing on a windowsill. Rarity looked around at the noise soon enough to see Opal fall out the window, fur standing on end.

It took a second for Rarity to realise what had just happened, then she streaked over to the window. I got there a few seconds after her, soon enough to see a bushy white tail disappear into the bushes.

"No!" Rarity squealed, "Opalescence! Come back!"

I ran for the stairs, planning to catch Opalescence before she went too far. However, when I got to the front door, all I could see of Rarity's cat was a smudge of white leaving Ponyville. Rarity skidded to a halt after me and yelled:

"After her!"

Hence started our chase of a pussycat over the entirety of Ponyville for the next few hours. Opalscence must be having a freakout from all the running she did, I think we must have run from Rarity's to Pinkie's to Cog's and back a few hundred times before Opal ever even slowed. Of course, that didn't make her any easier to catch.

I slid to a stop next to the pond, wheezing from the constant running across much of Ponyville. Rarity limped up next to me, eyes closed, and rolled over onto her back.

"Wh.. where is she?" she breathed

I raised my head and looked around. I could see a ways in all directions, but I couldn't see Opal anywhere.

"I can't see her anywhere... She has to be nearby...Couldn't have kept running like that..."

Rarity opened her eyes, which immediately widened. Her gasp caught my attention and I looked up. Almost forty yards up in the tree directly next to us was a little dot of white.

"Opal! You get down from there right now!" Rarity flipped up to her hooves.

I groaned. I knew perfectly well that Opal wasn't coming down on her own. Some part of my brain also knew I was probably the one to go get her.

_Just my luck isn't it._

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)


	7. Chapter 2: Talent Show Stress Part 4

**A ****short ****while ****later****...**

'_Why __do __I __get __myself __into __things __like __this__?'_ I thought miserably.

I was only ten feet up the tree and trying to not shake so much I fell out of the tree. Rarity was below me, gazing up at Opal and me with a look of panic. I still wasn't quite sure how she had persuaded me to try to get her cat. At least Wind Running is halfway effective when going up a tree.

I shivered and looked up at Opal. She was still a long way out of reach, still thirty feet above me. I gulped and prepared to continue.

"Here goes nothing!"

I jumped up off the tree limb I was on and ran up the tree, using my wing's backdraft to hold myself against the tree. I opened my eyes after a few seconds to see how I was doing. Luckily I did, otherwise I would have ran into a large limb. Instead I dodged it, forgot to close my wings in time, and ended up flipping over it and landing heavily in a fork in said limb. Looking down, I saw I had easily doubled the distance between me and the ground. Rarity was as small as a baby mare to me now. I paused to take a breath, gazing down at her.

"Are you alright?" I heard her call up.

"Need to take a rest, but yeah."

She started to pace around in a circle, obviously very worried about Opal. As I gazed down at her, I saw her suddenly swerve towards the east. She seemed to be being pulled by her horn somewhere.

"Are you alright Rarity?" I called down.

"My horn is trying to take me somewhere! I don't know if I should go or stay here with you and Opal!"

I sighed.

"Follow your horn, I can finish up here."

I knew perfectly well that I was royally f*cked this high up, but I knew a little bit about unicorn magic. Things like this happened without any control, and it was likely to get violently unstoppable is she withheld it.

_Oh __well__, __it__'__s __not __like __my __situation __could __get __much __worse__._

"Thank you Treble!..." She yelled back as her horn dragged her off into the distance, out of my sight even from this altitude.

Looking back up at Opal, I was now within 15 feet of her. I stood up on the limb carefully and stretched my wings. My right one seemed fine, but my left one hurt something awful after colliding with the branch. This wasn't getting any easier the farther I got up.

I started to climb, carefully selecting branches that seemed stronger. When I was mere feet from Opal, I had to make a jump between two branches that were too far apart to step between. Bracing myself against the limb I was on, I leapt for it. My front hooves made it over, leaving the rest of my body to smack against the branch. This left me dangling forty feet up in the air next to an unhappy cat over a pond, which apparently, the tree was leaning over.

_Ok__, __now __how __can __this __get __any __worse__?_

"Hello! What are you doing way up here?"

I turned my head slightly to see a grey pegasus with a yellow mane and tail. On her flank was a bunch of what I think were bubbles, but I slipped again when I tried to see it, so I quickly decided to stay still. Opal, scared by this new arrival, jumped on my head, claws extended, sinking them into my skull.

"Ow. Ow. Ow." I started to repeat very quickly as the pegasus came a little closer, hovering a few feet away.

"So, what's a pegasus doing climbing a tree like this? I thought we could all fly."

I got a better grip on the branch I was hanging off of, then glared back over at the pegasus, who I now saw was looking at me with one eye, the other staring out off into infinity.

"What's your name and what do you want? I'm sorta on a cliffhanger here."

She looked at me, the cat on my head, then the big drop below me.

"Name's Ditzy, Ditzy Doo. What cliff? I don't see any cliff."

If I could have facehoofed, I would have had.

"Could you please help me? I am going to fall pretty quick here."

She cocked her head, giving me the impression her eyes were even more messed up.

"Okay, let me see what I can do!"

She came over and grabbed my front hooves. I started to protest, but she pulled me up onto the branch. I ended up standing on my hind legs with my front hooves being held in midair by Ditzy.

"Ok," I said slightly surprised nothing else bad happened.

Of course, I didn't see what was coming next. Anyone who does, I want to ask: Why didn't you warn me!

A rainbow explosion burst behind Ditzy, causing her to jump. She let go of my hooves, leaving me unable to compensate for my leaning over a very, very long fall. Opal fell off my head as I left the branch, and luckily landed in Ditzy's outstretched hooves. I crashed through a few branches before I got far enough away from the tree to completely free-fall.

As I was hurtling towards the icy waters of the pond, I saw something flying through the sky trailing a rainbow.

_Yay__. __Someone __else __to __see __my __final __moments __before __I __feel __a __lot __of __pai__... _

*******KER****-****SPLASH*******


	8. Chapter 2: Talent Show Stress Part 5

Blackness.

Complete and utter silence.

For a few moments, it was almost peaceful. Almost, but not quite.

Soon the images came, popping into my head. They came slowly at first, then faster and faster.

Cities with ponies and griffons and dragons, peacefully living together. I had never seen a larger civilization. I saw as its leaders began to fight, ignoring the problems of the world. THey did nothing but fan the flames of their problems.

'_Foalish creatures,_' I heard '_Not even worth the effort'_

I saw as countless civilizations fell to anarchy as the being commented.

_'Idiots, morons, foals the lot of them.'_

Then came a image of a city larger than any of the others. At this the being speaking seemed to take interest. It showed the streets, the markets, the magnificent castle at the middle. It had a single tower rising from it into the sky. On a balcony as it peered closer were two ponies. One deep blue, one pale white. I caught an after image of wings and horns.

_'Ah, a challenge.'_ the voice cooed.

Images began to appear of the two, first from afar, then closer. I got one of the white one glaring at me with fire in her eyes. The blue one with an inquisitive look.

Another image, the blue one was circling around me, attacking from all sides. The white one was throwing fire in my face. I was terrified, but the being was laughing at their efforts.

I saw them standing in front of me, arguing.

Then I saw the carnage around me, everywhere things without rhyme or reason.

I felt the being behind me giggle.

_'You may have turned me to stone princesses, but my mind shall wander.'_

The images slowed down, showing the forest reclaiming the city then it changing into a jungle. eventually it stopped at one image, of a pony that looked a little like Cogs wandering around with a map.

_'So, it begins again...' _the voice stated

I felt a pulse of power and the blackness returned.

Total silence.

Wasn't as peaceful as the first time.

_'What did I just see? Was that real or just fantasy?'_ I thought

I felt something pull on one of my hooves. I tried to shake it off, but I couldn't move.

I was pulled up out of the water and put on somepony's back. I tried to open my eyes, but they wouldn't open.

_'What's happened? Have I finally died? Is this what it like to be dead?'_

I bounced along as they carried me somewhere, before long I felt myself lifted by magic and set down on a bed. Unruffled sheets. Smooth cool-to-touch pillow.

_'Must be the hospital'_

It wasn't long before I felt somepony shake me, hard. After a few seconds they were pulled away, only for somepony to grab my right forehoof and hold it tight. I thought I recognised the way they were holding my hoof, but I couldn't be sure with their grip cutting off circulation.

_'Please, oh please. Let go of my hoof! I sorta need that hoof if I'm going to preform.'_

I started to hear voices, very, very faintly. Like I was at the other end of a tunnel.

"Oh, Trebl... I knew t..."

Rarity popped into my mind. I tried to focus on where her voice was coming from. It was coming from my left, which was odd.

_'Wait, if Rarity is over there, who's squeezing my hoof?'_

I tried again to open my eyes to see, but my body still wouldn't obey commands. As I continued to lay there uselessly, I began to hear a heated conversation.

"YOU LEFT HIM! ….. ran off …. he was in a tree!"

Now that voice was familiar. It reminded me of times riding clouds being pushed by a friend. Of a chromatic mane and cyan body.

_'Dashie, what are you doing here?'_

My hearing continued to return, allowing me to hear what they were arguing about.

"I didn't want to leave him there!" Rarity yelled.

"Yet you did! You left knowing full well he can't fly!" retorted Rainbow Dash.

"He said he would be fine! He told me to follow my horn!"

"Well, whoop de doo! He's still dying!"

I tried to speak, but all that came out was an intelligible gasp.

"You don't think I know that? He went up there to save my cat!"

"And he got more than that didn't he? A concussion and several broken ribs!"

I tried again to speak, this time coming out with a whisper.

"Whatcha …. up to …. Dashie? …. Getting …. on …. Rarity's …. case?"


	9. Let's Rock!

Awwww Yeah! I'm back baby!

Well, anyway, it's Announcement Time!

Well, This story has officially been split in two.

Star Fall's is now it's own entity, which is still entirely part of this story, but separated for clarity.

Check it out on my profile, and don't forget to tell me what you think!

* * *

><p>"Treble!" Dash cried as she grabbed my foreleg again. "You're alright!"<p>

The pain returned to the hoof, causing me to yelp and sit upright.

"Oowww!"

"Oops..." she laughed "Sorry..."

Gently she let my hoof go.

"Jeez, I was so scared!" Dash muttered nuzzling my head gently.

I looked over to Rarity, who looked quite flustered.

"Sorry about scaring you like that..." I apologised.

"Oh please, Treble dear... I'm just glad you're alright" she smiled plumping the pillow behind me with a light touch of magic.

"Thanks," I thanked her as I laid back down. "How long was I out?"

"Bout two three hours" Rainbow sighed, offering me a bottle of apple juice

I took a sip of the juice, then began to choke on it as I realised a big problem. What juice I had drank what sprayed out across the room.

"Two to three hours!?" I exclaimed.

Both of the filly's stared at me, faces drenched in juice

"I still have to come up with a song for tomorrow!" I blurted out.

"And I still have to create the costumes!" Rarity jumped, eyes wide with shock

Dash looked between the two of us like they were going crazy.

"What are you two talking about? What's happening tomorrow?"

_Oh, yeah she doesn't know..._

I looked back over to her.

"We've got an assignment due tomorrow, a big talent show type thing."

"It counts for quite a chunk of our grade. I'm going to make adjustments to my costumes. I just found the biggest mass of gems I've ever seen!" Rarity added as she cleaned her face up daintily.

"So that's what you were doing when Treble was getting a concussion?" Dash asked haughtily.

"I told you Rainbow Dash, I could not help what my horn wants! A horn will NOT normally do what mine did, it dragged me away!" The white unicorn snapped. "If I had a choice I would have stayed with him!"

Dash frowned at her.

"Yeah right, and I happened to be flying by at the time. Coincidence, I think not."

"Hey, wait a second..." I tried to speak up.

"I refuse to fight in such a manner." Rarity continued primly. "It matters little to me if you believe what I say or not. As long as Treble, my friend, believes me is all that matters."

"Fine!" Dash yelled.

She turned on me, a glare on her face.

"When you get friends that actually care about you, give me a call!"

With that the cyan pegasus kicked open the window and jumped out it.

"W.. what?" I faltered, shocked.

_What the BUCK just happened?_

Rarity sighed

"Honestly, I am sorry you got into this treble," gently she lay a notebook and pencil on the table next to me. "I thought you might want to try and work on your song" she murmured softly.

I stared sadly out the window after Dash. Shaking my head, I turned back to Rarity.

"Thanks. I need something to do to get this out of my mind."

I took the pencil in my mouth and began to write, then looked back up at her.

"You think you could give Pinkie Pie a note from me?" I asked, dropping the pencil.

"Indeed!" she gave him a soft smile, then a thought seemed to occur to her. "Oh, and I made you a gift!"

Rarity floated out a tiny guitar, crafted from gems. The body was made from a black stone, the grip made from amber crystal, and each knob secured in its place silver strings that stretched across the ornamental guitar.

I gasped as she floated it into my hooves.

"Oh, thank you! You shouldn't have!"

"It's the least I could do darling, you did get badly hurt..."

Setting it on my bedside table, I pushed myself up into a more upright position, so I could look straight into her eyes.

"There's nothing you could have done. Don't worry about me, I've had worse, and Dash knows it."

Rarity smiled and put another pillow under him.

"She's a very angry mare, isn't she?" she sighed

"Not angry, just protective." I explained.

Grabbing the pencil again, I wrote a small list of things on a piece of paper and held it out to her.

"Here, give that to Pinkie. She should be able to find what we need..."

She nodded and plodded out with a smile. After she got to the door I could see she had her white hooves decked out in new light purple slippers.

That mare never goes anywhere without something to prevent dirt on her hooves. I thought.

"I'll see you tomorrow then?" she asked with a small grin.

I nodded, and she left.

When Rarity had gone, I tapped a hoof to my chin.

"Alright... Let's see about that song ..."

* * *

><p><strong>Time: The Next Day<strong>

I was let out of the hospital halfway through the day, after my parents had stayed with me all night. They were nice, but they made it difficult to work when they were there. I continued thinking about the song as I walked through the town square.

Ponyville was abuzz for the talent show later, everypony that knew a foal in it would be attending, so it was the talk of the town.

I gulped.

The song I had written wasn't my best. I knew that much. Not only had I hurried to get it together, but I hadn't got a singer. Even if I found one now they wouldn't know the song. As it was I barely had time to get some of my other stuff from home before I had to book it to the school.

When I got there I sighed. Everypony was supposed to meet outside the school so we could make sure we had everything, but nopony that was going to help me was here!

I watched as Mrs. Sharp called off acts. Almost all of the rest of the class was there, so it was quite awkward after choruses of 'Ready!'s I had to stand up and say:

"Not Ready."

Mrs. Sharp tutted and shook her head.

"You'll be going last then. Better hope you're ready by then."

Turning to the group at large she announced:

"Alright everypony! Line up by the stage outside, we are starting in two minutes!"

Everypony else rushed off, excited to perform in front of most of Ponyville

Axel and his gang strutted by, wearing dark capes and top hats. The big earth pony stopped in front of me and smirked.

"Hey squirt! Where's YOUR entourage? Oh, wait! No pony cares!"

They walked off laughing their heads off, like the joke was actually funny.

For a few moments I toyed with the idea of bucking them in the back, then noticed Mrs. Sharp's hard gaze on me. I shied out of the room, out of school to where I began pacing outside.

_No Cogs... No guitar... No Pinkie... No band... Bucking Hay!_

"Hi Treble!"

The sudden shout knocked me out of my troubled thoughts.

Pinkie came bouncing up with a cart of instruments and other doodads, much, much happier than I had ever seen her. Even more than when she had been playing with the little toy pony. Her mane wasn't flat anymore, in fact, from the way it stuck up and bounced around it was just like cotton candy!

"Look! Look! I got my cutie mark!"

She spun around and waved her flank in my face. I saw a blur of multicolored balloons as I tried to ignore the plot in my face.

"Congradulations! Did you remember the list of stuff?"

"I got the stuff you wanted, even the lights!" she cried gleefully. "You have no idea how hard it is to find quality party lights in Ponyville, I found this one pony just starting a music business that let me borrow her stuff! There's lasers and smoke machines and disco balls and big speakers and oh! Here she is now! Hi Scratch!"

"Yo Pinkie!"

A white unicorn pulled her own cart up smirking a little bit. She had purple tinted goggles over her eyes, framed well by her two-tone blue mane.

"You must be Treble, nice to meet cha!" Scratch grinned as she held out a hoof

"Nice to meet you too!" I replied, shaking the offered hoof. "Is it just Scratch?"

"Vinyl Scratch's the name, lay'en down beat's the game!" she said cheerfully.

_Well, I would guess so, if your cutie mark is a record..._

"Great! I guess you had all the amps and other assorted things I asked for?" I asked, thinking back over the list I gave Pinkie.

"Right here buddy...you break em, you buy em though!" she lifted off the tarp showing off what she had in the back. "Put in some smoke machines too, free of charge!"

I ran a hoof down the equipment, mentally checking off things.

"This is exactly what I needed! Thanks! All I need now is my guitar..."

"You don't have your guitar?" Vinyl blinked. "Why's that?"

I rubbed the back of my head nervously.

"Well, it's kinda being repaired slash upgraded by a friend of mine..."

She raised an eyebrow.

"You are going to be performing on an instrument you haven't even practiced on? That's taking your chances. Who's working on it? Maybe I could do some business with him."

"Oh!"

_Maybe I can get Cogs out more if he has a buyer for his inventions!_

"His name is Cogs, he lives a bit close to the Everfree forest." I explained. "He should be here in a bit."

"I guess I'll stick around then." She reasoned. "Actually, do you need any help with this?"

"Sure! I sure none of us can work it better than you!"

_Whew! That's a load off my back!_

"Now we're just waiting no Cogs!"

"Is Cogs playing hide and seek?" Pinkie blinked cutely.

The sound of one of the first acts reached us from behind the schoolhouse.

"Well, if he doesn't get here soon, we'll miss the show!"

A few minutes later as we were looking around, Rarity came running up with a load of costumes.

"Good luck Treble!" she called frantically as she dashed by, the costumes decked out in gemstones.

_Woah, there's more gem than costume there!_

"You too!" I replied waving back.

* * *

><p><strong>Tick tock went the clock as act after act performed...<strong>

* * *

><p>Before long it was the act before ours.<p>

"Come on..." I moaned, "Where is he?"

The road to up to the school was empty, only making me more worried.

_Oh gawd. We're DEAD!_

Scratch held a hoof up to her ear.

"What is that noise?" she wondered aloud...

Everypony blinked and tilted their heads to listen.

From around town came a barreling wagon. It was loaded to overflowing with a large load covered with a sheet tied down at the sides. A strange metal device was hooked to the back wheels, propelled the cart forwards as it chugged noisily.

A very scared looking Cogs was hooked into the harness at the front, which had flipped up onto the front of the cart.

Scratch dodged out of the way as it went by, using a bit of magic to slow the wheels.

The wagon began to overbalance, Cogs almost flipping forwards. He pulled a lever, locking all wheels and sending a little parachute out the back of the cart.

It jerked to a stop - Cogs flipping back down onto his face - right before it hit me.

I blinked, the harness had come down less than an inch away from my face.

"Well, that was ... close. In more ways than one." I gulped.

"You okay in there little dude?" Scratch asked as she went over peering at Cogs worriedly

Cogs shook himself, trying to control his breathing.

"Y.. yeah. I'm f...fine." he shivered.

"Take in even breaths, not too deep now lil' dude." Vinyl muttered helping him out from the wagon harness.

She rubbed gently circles on his back where he had been pinned to the cart.

"Thanks." he muttered.

I stumbled around the wagon harness to my friend.

"So, did you do it? You finish the stuff?"

"Yea...it's all in the cart" he grumbled, sitting back on his haunches.

The earth pony took the bottle Pinkie shoved in his face. The drink came right back up after he took a swig of it.

"What IS this?!" Cogs spluttered.

"Punch!" Pinkie smiled, "My special punch!"

"That tastes like pure sugar!"

"Exactly!"

He kept looking at her funny as he shook off the sugar high from the drink.

"Anyway, here you go Treble."

As Cogs swept off the covering, my mouth widened into a big smile.

"Cogs you have outdone yourself..."

"Man, that's a sweet looking instrument! ... Now let's go find out if it'll play!" Scratch grinned insanely.

The guitar was entirely black, seemingly sucking in all light around it. In the center of the body, right next to the crosspiece, was a glowing yellow gem which filled the entire instrument with a gentle humming. The strings stood out from the rest of the guitar, the shiny white coating on them in contrast with the darkness.

I laughed as I picked it up, flipping the strap around my neck.

"I can't even believe this is the same guitar! It was a piece of crap, but this... this is awesome!"

Cogs grinned a little bit.

"Well, It was nothing really...you might want to be careful when you use that around unicorns..." he murmured quietly.

"Treble!" Miss Sharp called from around the side of the school. "You're up next! Hurry up!"

I jumped.

_That was fast! What happened to all the other acts?!_

"Yikes! Quick, everypony grab the stuff! We need to set up ASAP!"

Everypony hauled flank, hauling the gear to the stage then setting up the stuff behind the curtains frantically. I helped Pinkie get the instruments in place, while Cogs and Vinyl set up the amps and special effects.

Barely as Scratch hooked up the new guitar to the amps, they heard Miss Sharp announce from out on the stage:

"Our final performance of the night, by Treble Clef, Cogs, and Pinkamena Pie."

Scratch and Cogs slid into the wings, watching a bit on the antisy side.

I grabbed Cogs before he could get to far.

"You silly colt, did you forget?"

I spun him around to where the drum set sat.

"You're our drummer!"

"Oh yes...I got so busy with the guitar..." He as chuckled as he sat down, ready to go.

I passed around sheets of music from my saddlebag, each with only want each pony had to do. Unfortunately, none of them had lyrics. I took the microphone Cogs had made and fitted it over my head.

"Treble are you singing?" Pinkie pie blinked at over at me.

I sighed.

"Yes. At least the first one. For the second, I'm taking a leap of faith for somepony..."

They leaned in, eager to see who the leap of faith was for.

I shook my head, waving them back into position.

"Doesn't matter now..."

The curtain began to open as I swung the guitar over my head.

"Because it's showtime!"

There was a healthy roar from the crowd as we waved to everypony, notably not everypony was - in fact - cheering. I spotted Axel's crew in the back leering at me.

Ignoring them, I addressed the crowd.

"Good evening Ponyville!"

I got a few 'good evenings' in returned, but that was to be expected.

"I would like to say a few words before we start tonight, if that's alright."

A nod from Mrs. Sharp let me continue.

"I would like to thank all of you for making me feel so welcome here, especially those of you that do so even though you know why I came here."

I gave Mrs. Cheerilee - who was in the front row - a quick nod.

"It certainly hasn't been easy, but you have all been welcoming and I appreciate that."

Mrs. Sharp tapped her watch.

_Better wrap this up_.

"Anyway, this song I actually whipped up yesterday, and this the first time any pf us are actually playing it. So if we stop somewhere, it's probably because I've forgotten to make lyrics. So! Without further ado, Cogs! Hit us off!"

I stood up on my hind legs, guitar in position, as he started the countdown.

"A one, a two, a one two three four..."

I began to strum lightly on the guitar, augmenting a beat made by Cogs.

"A warning to the people ... " I began to sing, watching the sun beginning to set behind the crowd.

Cogs, kept up the steady beat, beads of sweat popped out on Pinkie's brow, from the night's heat and the lyrics.

" ... the good and the evil ... This ... is ... War ..."

I closed my eyes and began to flashback to the strange vision I got earlier.

I heard another voice chime in, one I didn't recognise. Ignoring it, I continued to think back.

I zoomed in on the guards with the Princesses,  
>" ... to the soldier ... "<p>

In on the ponies cowering behind whatever they could find,  
>" ... the civilian ... "<p>

In on a stallion taking a blast of magic meant for a filly,  
>" ... the martyr ... "<p>

Then in on the little filly's face as she began to cry over her father,  
>" ... the victim ... "<p>

" ... This ... is ... War ... "

I didn't see it then, but apparently there was a ghost filly floating floating over the crowd. It wasn't until later that I found that was why Pinkie stumbled a bit on the bass. At any rate, I was fully lost in my mind, seeing the vision as I played and sang.

" ... It's the moment for truth ... " A image of Luna stepping into help Celestia.

" ... the moment to lie ... " Celestia and Luna fighting as blackness creeped in.

" ... the moment to live ... " A flaming attack from Celestia... who was punted back.

" ... the moment to die ... " Luna barely blocking the killing blow directed at her sister.

I felt something tickle my flank. I flicked it with my tail, and got back to singing.

" It's the moment to fight ... " Luna helping Celestia to her hooves.

" ... the moment to fight ... " Them turning to face their attacker.

" ... to fight ... " The princess's horns began to glow.

" ... to fight ... " Luna shot off into a flying kick as Celestia fired another ball of fire.

" ... to fight! "

Judging from the silence I was hearing, they ... kinda liked it?

" To the right ... to the left ... " The black alicorn dodging around rocks shooting up around her as if gravity had suddenly shut off.

"We will fight to the death ... " Bruises forming on both the princesses...

" To the edge of the earth ... " Large portions of the castle and city were floating up, defying gravity.

" It's a brave new world from the last to the first." A black hoof flying into the eyes of the being.

I lost myself for a second, where I repeated the same thing over again. Blinking, I tried to remember the lyrics. As I did, more flashes of images came to me.

"A warning to the prophet ... " The shadow of the filly drifting through the air seemed to grow more solid for a moment.

" ... the liar ... " I got a weird image of a pale blue unicorn.

" ... the honest ..." An image of an orange earth pony flashed before my eyes.

" This ... is ... War. "

I remembered what I was supposed to sing, and returned to the vision. However, it seemed to begin to bounce back and forth between visions and memories...

_Dang it, can't keep this up much longer.._

"To the leader ... " I saw Celestia take bad hit to her leg, making her fall.

" ... the pariah ... " The princess's image was replaced with a familiar gray yellow-maned pegasus.

" ... the victim ... " A yellow pegasus appeared before my eyes. I smiled as I recognised the pegasus Dash and I had protected so much.

" ... the messiah. "

My mind went blank my eyes opened fully. I barely noticed the little ghost, but finished the verse:

"This ... is ... War."

Some ponies were swaying to the music, but most looked a little confused.

The song continued, but I stayed silent. After a few more chords I waved to the others.

"Stop, stop."

Mrs. Cheerilee stood up in the front and asked:

"Why did you stop?

"Treble..." Pinkie whispered softly as she panted for breath

"Alright," I announced to the crowd, ignoring Pinkie. "Sorry, but that's all I got right now, I only wrote it yesterday. Anyway, that might've been a little boring for some..."

In the back I could see Axel and his goons leering at me. Rolling my eyes, I continued.

"So the next one will be a bit more upbeat."

I turned to Scratch and nodded as the crowd cheered.

"Ready the lasers."

She grinned as she rammed her hooves down on the control board.

"And a little smokage!" Scratch cried happily

Slowly I looked across the audience, looking for somepony...

"Now there is a certain somepony in the audience tonight who said she wouldn't be here."

I didn't see who I was looking for, but kept talking regardless.

"I'm sorry about earlier, and I'm willing to be you are too. So why don't you sing for us? You know the drill, so let's stick to it."

I took of the headset and placed it up at the front of the stage.

_I really hope you're here... because I'll look really stupid if you're not!_

"Alright, Scratch, give us complete darkness until somepony starts singing."

"Got it!"

As the lights were shut off, we began to play, filing the complete blackness with sound. A loud whoosh swept across the audience as the first few riffs came out of the speakers. A few moments Cogs and Pinkie had joined in, a familiar cyan pegasi's voice came out of the speakers.

" On the day I was born ... the nurses all gathered 'round. "

_You did come! YES!_

Lights came on the stage came on, illuminating everypony. Except, the microphone headset was missing.

" And they gazed in wide wonder ... at the joy they had found. "

Everypony cheered with the song, stamping their hooves to the beat happily

"The head nurse spoke up ... said 'leave this one alone.'"

The sound of wings faded, drawing up and away.

"She could tell right away ... "

There was a whistling as something dove towards the stage. There was a burst of smoke as it landed.

" ... That I was Bad To The Bone!"

The smoke cleared to show Dash, grin evident on her face.

I could hear peals of laughter amid the screams of surprise

"Bad to the bone ...  
>Bad to the bone ..."<p>

As Dash began to groove back and forth along the stage, I zoned out.

_Looks like I'll fit in here just fine..._

I had a few seconds to be confused why there were two ponies dancing when Pinkie caught my eye and pointed to my flank.

I glanced down and almost dropped the guitar in shock. Barely I managed to keep playing, but it was only the strap that kept the guitar firmly in my hooves.

On my flank was a black guitar, similar in style to those given to me by Rarity and Cogs. Small traces of lightning still zapped around it, and as I watched one stuck itself to the body of the instrument. It was the only difference from the actual instrument.

I looked back up in a daze, in time to see the two ponies dancing go through each other.

_Whaaaa?!_

Taking a closer look at the two, I noticed something. While Dash was solid, through the other I could see the crowd through the filly's dark purple coat. Something seemed familiar about her... but I couldn't place why.

"You... " I whispered as she came by me. "I feel like I should know you..."

The ghost filly smiled as she went by.

"You will...you will soon enough...but time will pass...a long long time. but you'll re-meet me, the real me!" She giggled as she spun in a circle. "Teach me once you find me, be my brother...be the family I can trust, do you vow it?"

Large needy eyes bored away at me, I focused on playing so I didn't cave.

"Perhaps... " I responded as I raised an eyebrow. "But that is a bridge I shall cross when I get to it ... "

Over her shoulder, I noticed the song was almost over, Dash repeating:

"Bad to the bone...  
>Bad to the bone...<br>B-b-b-b-bad..  
>B-b-b-b-bad.. "<p>

"Talk to him..." She nodded at Cogs, who apparently couldn't see her. "Ask him to show you the books his great grandfather left behind, right now I've gotta get back to canterlot!"

She giggled as she vanished.

As we finished the song, I lost myself in the roar of the crowd. Dash stage dived, easily getting the crowd let her surf over them.

Once they had carried her a bit off Pinkie Pie tapped my shoulder.

"Treble...did you see that little filly?" she whispered panicky

" I did, but ... as I said, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now,"

"Oh, good I thought I was crazy! To bad nopony else saw her..."

I put a hoof around Cogs as he came over, then one around Pinkie. We bowed to the roaring crowd, at least those Dash wasn't crowd surfing.

Rarity ran up on stage, a flushed look on her face.

"That was amazing! How'd you put together that song that fast?!"

"Well," I shrugged. "I guess it's just my speciality!"

I turned a little, giving her a glimpse of my cutie mark.

"Oh! Congratulations! Look, I got mine too!"

Rarity showed me her diamond-covered flank.

"Sweet!" Vinyl Scratch grinned as she walked over. "Almost all of you got your cutie mark!"

_Almost?_

I glanced at Cogs.

"Did you get yours Cogs?"

He smirked a little.

"There's a reason why I was always the grimiest colt in class."

Cogs grabbed a glass of water from behind stage where performers could get it. He promptly poured it down his flanks.

"Hey!" Rarity shrieked as it sprayed everywhere. "Watch it!"

"Sorry." Cogs muttered as he rubbed the spot where a cutie mark would be.

In a few minutes, three gears were visible under a very well placed spot of grime.

"Hid it when I got it years ago. Not best to be singled out, if you know what I mean."

I don't know why, but this struck me as funny.

"I don't know why I ever doubted you Cogs!" I laughed.

Looking around I nodded to myself.

_This will certainly be interesting... Living here..._

" Come on guys, let's not let Dash have all the fun!"

With that, I took a few galloping step and stage dived.


End file.
